Time to relax about the kids' finicky eating

I've recovered from my Brussels sprouts funk just in time to read Elizabeth Roca's fantastic "Sugarplums" in the latest issue of Brain, Child. She examines the roots of her toddler son's food fetishes (lime yogurt, cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, applesauce) and, in so doing, recalls her own childhood pickiness.

It's a beautiful essay: funny, honest, enlightening. Elizabeth puts us inside the head of a kid who seeks refuge from the sensory overload of daily life by demanding bland, predictable meals. For the first time, I understood why my kids react to new foods with suspicion.

Elizabeth finds her son's finicky eating mildly annoying, but lets it stand. Ellyn Satter, in her book "Child of Mine: Feeding With Love and Good Sense", suggests basically the same thing. She argues that parents are in charge of the "what" and "when" of feeding, but, as soon as the food's on the table, kids decide how much (or if) they eat. No cajoling, no threatening, no short-order cooking. Power struggles over food are ultimately self-defeating, and kids eventually grow out of their pickiness (most of it, anyway).

My sum-up doesn't do Child of Mine justice; if you're looking for reasonable, practical advice about feeding your family, consider having a look. Relevant to kids of all ages.

Technorati Tags: Elizabeth Roca, Ellyn Satter, Feeding kids, Nutrition, Parenting

Comments

[Jennifer]

Love, love, love this book! Her "Secrets of Feeding A Healthy Family" is also good. Short version of her theories plus recipes and menu planning instructions.